Radio apparatus



D. F. ASBURY RADIQ APPARMUSl Dec. 13, 1932.

Filed Feb. 19, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l DCC. 13, 1932. Q F, ASBURY 1,890,768

RADIO APPARATUS.

Filed Feb. 19. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QQ. l

I bof, ZZLSW i Patented 13, 1932 PATENT OFFICE DonsEY F. ASBURY, or nnooMEs ISLAND, MARYLAND nADIo APPARATUS Application led February 19, 1926. Serial No. 89,443.

`My invention relates to radio apparatus and has particular reference to improvements in tuning units, my purpose being to provide a tuning unit includingy parts having 5 two movements relative to one another effective individually to lchange the tun-ing status ,of the unit, together with means tok cause saidy movements tobe produced simultaneouslyand Ato vary theamounts thereof relam tive to one another, whereby a plurality of such units", when connected together for collectivo. operation, may be caused to tune simultaneously and accurately with different wave lengths, thereby eliminating the necessity of more than once individually radj/usting the units'and departing from arrangements heretofore proposedbyvme in my appIieati-ons 683,756 and `80,833 for example,1n

` which means for accomplishing the same general purpose is included in operating means for tuning units of conventional types rather than in the tuning units themselves, latter arrangement being advantageoiis forV various reasons among which may` be as mentioned theS ease with which any desred plural-ity of units may be connected together for collective operation, the relative cheapf i ness and ease ofmanufacture, and simplicity, 30 compactness and durability in construction.

` My inventive idea is capable of'embodiment in different mechanical structures, certainv of'which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it isv to be-unders'tood that the structures shown are merely intendv ed to' disclose the essenti al features and lnovel characteristics of my' invention in certain preferred forms ,and that its scope is as defined in the appended claims. 40 In lthe drawings, wherein like characters I of reference denote corresponding parts in the different viewszf g Fig. l. is a s" de elevation illustrati ng a preferred. embodiment of my invention in v.which ,45 a plurality of tuning units are' arranged abreast and combined in: a unitary structure;

Fig. 2, a top plan view; i v i .y Fig. 3 an end elevation g y ig. 4s, a side elevation illustrating a modiorm of my invention;v

Fig. 5, a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6, a transverse section on the' line (5*6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7,21. transverse section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 8, an elevation-of one of the bendable cam members used in both the preferred modified form of my invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, first to Figures l to 3 inclusive, it will be observed that the tuning units are in the form of variable plate condenscrs and that two of them are embodied in a unitary structure.k It is to be understood, however, that my improvements are applicable to any other form of tuning unit in which the parts thereof have a plurality of movements relative to one another to effect tuning of the uni-t,- being applicable to coils for example, and that al- H though two units have been shown embodied in a' single" structure, thisnumber may be increased without limit, or, if desired, each unit may be formedseparate from other units and as many individual units as desired may be. connected together for collective operation. The single structure, two unit arrangement illustrated is preferred, however, for the reason that certain parts essential to a single unit may be made to serve in a dual capacity in a two unit structure.

In the arrangement illustrated block l0 serves as a base or support for the various parts of the tuning units, said block having rigidly secured to each side thereof, by' means of vbolts or other fasteners l2', spaced capacity plates 14, said bolts or fasteners also' serving to secure rigidly to said block a pair of arms 1'6 which arms extend in' spaced. relationbeyond one end of said block andhave rotatably mounted therein a shaft'.` I8, said shaft having fixed thereto a member 20 to which are pivoted as at 22 twolsetfs of spaced capaci-ty plates 24 movable bodily" into` different! overlapping or interdigitatilng rela'- tions with respect to the two sets of plates 14', respectively, by swinging movement of said member' 20.

- Also rigidly secured toy eachi side* of block 10.is al bar 26' having threaded therein at relatively closely spaced intervals a plurality of screws 28, each set of said screws adjustably supporting a bendable cam strip 30. Each set of plates 24 carriesl a roller 32, which rollers'rest, respectively, upon cam strips 30 whereby the latter serve to support the portions of plates 24 remote from their pivotal connections 22 with member 20, the result being that when shaft 18 is rotated to swing member 20 the two sets of plates 24 are moved bodily in one direction by said member and pivotally in another direction with respect to said member by said cam strips into dif-rv ferent overlapping relations with respect to platesrl4, as determined by the amount of rotation of shaft 18 and the adjustmentof cam strips 30, the amount of overlap between said plates produced by any predetermined amount of swinging movement of member 20 being variable as is manifest by bendably adjusting cam strips through the instrumentalityof screws 28, said cam strips causing plates 24. to be raised or lowered as desired during movement of said plates in a relative angular direction by swinging movement of member 20 as is apparent. Thus, in instances where ka plurality of condensers or other tuning units having the characteristics described in connection with the movable parts'thereof are connected together for collective operation by means of a single operator, such for example as shaft18, cam strips `30 may be adjusted by means of screws 28 to cause all units to tune simultaneouslyY and accurately with each different wave length encountered during any continuous movement of the operator. Consequently, it is necessaryv to individually adjust the tuning units only once, since thereafter the cam strips serve to produce the exact amount of overlap required between theplates of each unit during collective movementsof the units to cause all units to tune simultaneously and accurately with each different wavelength `encountered by any unit.

A simple yet effective manner of providing swivel connections between screws 28 and cam strips 30 consists in forming each screw with an annular groove and in forming spaced pairs of fingers 34 along one edge of each cam strip adapted to be bent into said groove, and, if desired, a spring of any suitable material-may be employed if found necessary ordesirable to maintainV rollers 32' at all Vtimes in contact with cam strips 30.

g In Figs. V4 to 7 I have illustrated an arrangementwhich differs from the arrangement of Figures 1 to 3 mainly in that instead of one set of plates of, each condenser having two movements at an angle to one another, one set of lplates has one movement and the other set the other movement, the results, however, being the same ineach instance.

' .In the arrangement ofFigures 4 to 7 an il elongated bar 36y is mounted for longitudinal movement in suitable spaced guide devices 38 secured to a suitable support such, for example, as a panel board 40, and rigidly secured to said bar at spaced points along the same is any desired plurality of sets of capacity plates 42. A lateral extension 44 is formed on said bar adjacent toeach set of plates 42 and each lateral extension has secured thereto a bar 46 in which is threaded a set of spaced screws 48 adjustably supporting, as in the preferred rform of my invention, a bendable cam strip 50. Each set of plates 42 has a companion set of plates 52 pivoted as at 54 t0 a suitable fixed support such, for example, as an adjacent guide device 38, and each set of plates 52 carries a. roller 56 riding upon its related cam strip50, the result being that since the cam strips move with the sets of plates 42 during shifting of bar 36, pivotal movements are imparted to'plates 52 by said cam strips during shifting of said bar to cause them tov be raised or lowered during such shifting movements thereby to vary the area of overlap between related sets of plates 42, 52, so that all units will tune simultaneously and accurately with each different wave length encountered by any unit during shifting of said bar. Y

I claim:

1. An electric condenser comprising an arm swingable about a fixed pivot, a movable plate pivotally connected with said arm, a stator plate with respect'to whichy said first mentioned plate is movable into different overlapping relations by swinging movements of said arm, and me-ansto produce pivotal movements of said first mentioned plate with respect to said arm during swinging movements of said arm. A .j 2. An electric condenser comprising an arm swingable about a fixed pivot, a movable plate pivotally connected with said arm at a point spaced from the fixed pivot `of said arm, a stator plate with respect to which said A first mentioned plate is movable into dierent overlapping relations by swinging movements of said arm, a fixed cam, and a cam follower carried by said first Vmentioned plate cooperating with said cam to produce pivotal move- 1 ments of said first mentioned plate during T15 swinging movements'of said arm. Y

3. An electric condenser comprising an arm swingable about a fixed pivot, a movable plate pivotally connected with said arm at a point M spaced from the fixed pivot of said arm, a "12v stator plate with respect-to which said first mentioned plate. is movable into different overlapping relations byY swinging movements of said arm, a cam, a cam follower carried by said first mentioned plate cooperating with said cam to produce pivotal movements of said first mentioned plate'V during swinging movementsof said arm, and means supporting said cam operable to change the y'shape thereoi 1 v i u.130

c 4f An electric condenser comprising a movable member, a plate pivotally connected with said member and Whose pivot moves in a nonvariable path during movement ofthe mem- 5 ber, a stator plate with respect to which said first mentioned plate is movable into diil'erent overlapping relations by movement of the member, and means to producepivotal movementsof said firstmentioned plate during movement of themember. v 5. In mechanism of the class described consisting of a plurality of instrumentalities yin' y co-operative relation and adaptedv to be adjusted from a single point of control, a main movable controlling element adaptedl to impart movement yin equal degree to each of said instrumentalities,.members comprised in each of said instrumentalities and connected with said main controlling element and adapted to be moved in equal degree by movements imparted therefrom, complementary elements cooperatingwith said movable elements and connections therefoxgsaid connections comprisinor in each instance an indif* 4vid'ually adjustable cam track and a member cooperating therewith and adapted to impart independent compensatory movements to the complementary elements in an amount variably determined by the configuration of the 3Q cam track, ,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature. f

i i Y y IDQRSEYF. ASBURY.

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